Senior Management Team

Grant Cleland is the new Chief Executive of Workbridge. He has over 22 years experience working in the disability field. Born with a physical impairment, Spina Bifida, Grant uses a wheelchair for mobility. He therefore brings to Workbridge both lived and professional experience; particularly in employment, transition and tertiary education.

Over the last 12 years Grant has developed 'Creative Solutions' offering project management, training, external supervision, mentoring, advocacy, group facilitation, research and strategic planning services.

Grant has been happily married to Nicky for 15 years and they have lively six year old twin boys, Tim and Jack. Grant's early years were spent growing up in Taranaki and he moved to the South Island to go to university. His passions include being a dad, playing the guitar and his iPod, handcycling, mono-skiing and camping with his family.

'My journey was started when my mum and dad, Jill and Maurice, encouraged me to have hopes and dreams and then supported me to break down barriers so that I could reach for my dreams. I hope that through my work with Workbridge we can assist many more people to have this same opportunity'.

After many year in self employment, Diana changed direction, graduating in 1994 from Canterbury University B DI Tch.

After a brief flirtation with teaching, Diana was employed as part of a community team working with women experiencing life changes associated with domestic violence and social disadvantage.

Diana joined Work and Income in 1996, and in 2001 was seconded to Wellington to join a MSD project team. At the conclusion of her secondment, Diana returned to Wellington, taking a position at the Work and Income Regional Office. During this time Diana worked with Work and Income offices to develop an 'In Work Support' pilot for people who had moved from benefit dependency into employment.

Since October 2003 Diana has worked as the MSD Business Manager, with responsibility for managing Workbridge's core funding contract with the Ministry of Social Development and the MSD Support Funds Administration and Management contract.

Nick has been the Business Manager Compensation (vocational rehabilitation services) for Workbridge since September 2005. Nick is responsible for the management of the compensation contract and associated stakeholder relationships.

Nick was born and raised in Wellington and attended Kapiti College. Nick entered the workforce in 1985. He has spent most of his working life in the superannuation and insurance industry, and has been involved in a variety of roles.

For 13 years, Nick worked for TOWER, with his last role being the Insurance and Compliance Manager. Nick went on to work for ACC as an Advisory Officer in the Medical Misadventure Unit. He spent 18 months with ACC before being asked to join the Global Retirement Trust (GRT) as their Client Relationship Manager. GRT was a not-for-profit trust involved in providing employer superannuation benefits.

Nick enjoys the great outdoors that NZ has to offer and is keen on hunting and fishing, as time permits. Most Saturday mornings you will find Nick on the sidelines, supporting both of his daughters who play netball.

Nick is currently studying extramurally through Massey University for a Graduate Diploma in Business. Nick lives in Karori, Wellington, with his wife and two daughters.

Glen was raised and schooled in the Hawkes Bay before attending Victoria University of Wellington where he completed a degree majoring in Criminology and Political Science and an Honours degree in Social Policy.

Glen worked for the New Zealand Employment Service and Work and Income before starting with Workbridge in 2001 as the Manager of the Whangarei centre.

In 2002 the Whangarei Manager's role expanded to include the Henderson and Takapuna centres in Auckland. The two Auckland centres were later combined into the Albany office.

From June 2005 until early 2010, Glen was the Northern Operations Manager, covering our service centres from Hawkes Bay to Northland.

Glen is interested in most sports such as rugby, rugby league and cricket. Whenever possible Glen likes to go fishing.

Kerry grew up on a dairy farm in Taranaki then spent some time in Te Puke, Hamilton and Wellington before relocating permanently to Auckland in 1989 where he now lives on a small lifestyle block in Whitford with his wife and, at various times, his 3 adult sons returning home for extended visits.

Kerry has a Bachelor of Management Studies (Honours) Degree from Waikato University and a Diploma in Business (Marketing) from Auckland University. Kerry is professionally qualified as a Chartered Accountant (CA) Member of the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants and has recently joined the Institute of Directors in New Zealand.

Kerry has worked as General Manager / Chief Executive and in specific functional roles within many businesses including Finance, Key Account Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Operations Management, Project Management and Sales & Marketing. For the past 7 years Kerry has successfully built his own business as a provider of Business Advisory, Management Consultancy and Leased Executive services.

Karen's background is in working with people in the delivery and management of social services, although she has made a few excursions into unrelated occupations along the way.

An interest in service evaluation and service development has developed over the years and quality management seems like a natural progression for Karen.